The disclosure relates generally to liquid purification systems and methods, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to gravity fed liquid purification systems and methods comprising a hydrophillic filter using a material having metallic fibers, such as nanoalumina fibers, grafted to microglass fibers to create an electromagnetic field to remove a variety of contaminants, including pathogens, microorganisms, cysts, bacteria, viruses and other microbiological contaminants without the use of chemicals, such as chlorine or iodine and without the use of electricity.
Potable water is essential for life. There are many situations that may result in the potable water supply becoming tainted or contaminated causing serious concern for the safety and welfare of individuals who may not have access to potable water. While there are many types of contaminants that can pollute potable water supplies turning those water supplies into non-potable water, microbiological contaminants may be categorized broadly into three categories: viruses, cysts, and bacteria. Natural disasters, such as fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, flooding, etc., may cause potable water supply sources to become contaminated for one reason or another. Further, in many parts of the world potable water is not readily available, whether due to various natural disaster conditions or for other reasons.
It will be appreciated that in a disaster relief response or in other conditions or environments in which potable water may be difficult to obtain, there is a need to provide potable water. On a large scale basis, such as an earthquake or other natural disaster, this frequently requires that potable water be brought in from other unaffected areas. The response in providing potable water is often slow, costly and it is difficult to distribute to those in the most need of the potable water. In many cases, water may be available and could suffice if adequate water treatment could be performed to remove contaminants including pathogenic organisms and other biological contaminants, such as viruses, cysts, and bacteria, as well as dissolved and suspended organic matter, toxic metals and sediment. Filtering contaminated water and turning it into potable water requires that equipment be brought to the devastated location and operated from a generally centralized location from which potable water may be distributed. While this response may be a viable solution over a protracted period of time, disaster survivors or others located in remote areas may not be able to receive potable water for several days. In other cases due to prohibitive costs, remote location or other factors, it may be difficult to provide potable water to those in need.
It will be appreciated that water treatment and liquid purification systems have other uses beyond natural disasters, such as for camping, hiking, or other activities where water may be available, but is contaminated or potentially contaminated requiring a filtration system. Further, in areas where the water may be potable, but may have some accepted level of contamination, there may be need for a filtration system to aid in filtering the water for taste, smell or otherwise making the water more palatable. In such instances, a liquid filter system may be advantageously used and employed.
For the above reasons, a need exists to provide a simple and effective way to provide potable water to disaster survivors and others who may have water supplies available, but which may be contaminated, during times of need when more elaborate or commercial water treatment systems are not available. Gravity flow water filtration devices have been used in such disaster or other situations in which contaminated water must be purified for potable purposes. However, no single gravity flow water filtration device has the capability to remove all three major categories of biological contaminants, namely viruses, cysts, and bacteria. Instead, gravity fed systems rely on filters in combination with chemicals or other devices to remove viruses, cysts, and bacteria from contaminated water.
Further, membranes having membrane modules, hollow fibers or micro sized openings (pores) have been used to filter contaminated water. Such membranes typically employ a pressure differential to move water through the membrane. The pressure differential may be produced by a pressure-driven system (positive pressure), where each membrane module has a pressure vessel, or a vacuum-driven system (negative pressure), which use hollow fiber modules that are submerged or immersed in an open tank or container. In either case, pressure is required to move water through the membrane. These devices are also easily fouled or clogged by sediment and particulates in the source water, requiring frequent back-washing or replacement and making them ultimately unsuitable for use in extreme conditions.
Because relatively high pressures are required to move water through the filtration membranes and because of their susceptibility to clogging, such membranes have not been successfully employed in combination with gravity flow water filtration devices. Gravity flow water filtration devices are used in situations where power is often not available, thereby requiring gravity flow. Thus, gravity flow filtration devices are simply not capable of producing the pressure needed to pass water molecules through membranes. Without the higher pressures produced by pressure-driven or vacuum-driven systems to push the water through the membrane pores, gravity flow water filtration devices and systems have not been workable to remove all three categories of microbial contaminants. Applicants have discovered a system and method for using a gravity flow filtration system in combination with a filter that may comprise a material or membrane that is capable of producing potable water without the need for high pressure systems or chemicals.
The features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out herein.